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Haha.. I think the word polar vortex was used here a couple of winters ago when it was cold. But then again our media is very sensationalist.
Oh yea! This summer, most of the newspapers where going crazy over what is genuinely average summer weather! Warm and sunny... It happens in summer der! Now if it was a summer like 1976 or 1911, or a summer that broke 40C, then I'd understand the story! But a "hot" 30 degree day in July is hardly a heatwave! Do you see where I'm coming from?
It's the same with the so called "Polar Vortex" thing, take a look at this load of crap for bad reporting of cold weather predictions in the UK: Winter 2013 expected to be worst since 1947 with heavy and persistent snow forecast for UK | UK | News | Daily Express
Coldest winter? It was very mild and rainy!
And the crappy Newspapers haven't learned: Winter 2014 to be COLDEST of century: UK faces arctic weather freeze in November | Nature | News | Daily Express
How am I suppose to believe this after last year?! Cause this was also reported in earlyish October, and it says an arctic freeze by November? Nope, it's an average 14C and rainy here, in fact Halloween was a nice 24C, they didn't report that then did they! It's the fact that it's all lies and the Met Office aren't remotely reporting this load of tosh! So the Newspapers should be abolished! LOL NO WONDER WHY PEOPLE DON'T BUY NEWSPAPERS ANY MORE! CUS THERE FULL OF ****!!! LOL!
"The polar vortex is a large area of low pressure and cold air surrounding both of the Earth’s poles. It ALWAYS exists near the poles, but weakens in summer and strengthens in winter. The term "vortex" refers to the counter-clockwise flow of air that helps keep the colder air near the Poles. Many times during winter in the northern hemisphere, the polar vortex will expand, sending cold air southward with the jet stream (see graphic above). This occurs fairly regularly during wintertime and is often associated with large outbreaks of Arctic air in the United States. The one that occurred January 2014 is similar to many other cold outbreaks that have occurred in the past, including several notable colder outbreaks in 1977, 1982, 1985 and 1989.
There are several things the polar vortex is NOT. Polar vortexes are not something new. The term “polar vortex” has only recently been popularized, bringing attention to a weather feature that has always been present. It is also not a feature that exists at the Earth’s surface. Weather forecasters examine the polar vortex by looking at conditions tens of thousands of feet up in the atmosphere; however, when we feel extremely cold air from the Arctic regions at Earth’s surface, it is sometimes associated with the polar vortex. This is not confined to the United States. Portions of Europe and Asia also experience cold surges connected to the polar vortex. By itself, the only danger to humans is the magnitude of how cold temperatures will get when the polar vortex expands, sending Arctic air southward into areas that are not typically that cold.
In short, there is no cause to be alarmed when you hear about the polar vortex, but you should be prepared for colder temperatures. Check the forecast for your area on weather.gov to ensure you are dressed appropriately. It is also a good idea to check the items in your home and car emergency kits at the beginning of each winter season to ensure you are prepared for any type of hazardous winter weather
Although there are exceptions like Feb 2015 when the actual Vortex DID drop down into Canada. It wasn't just a piece. Hence the historic cold that happened.
Hmm, glad you brought that up because we do hear about it "weakening" at times in the winter when it does split off. While it does both weaken and strengthen in the winter the Vortex pretty much gets stronger in Winter vs the Summer. I think I remember reading that Daylight, Earth's Axis, wind, and some other factors I cant remember is the reason.
Also not to confuse everyone but there are 2 levels to consider. There is the Stratosphere Vortex (the main one usually talked about) and the Troposphere Vortex.
The term “polar vortex” has become part of the everyday vocabulary, but there is
some confusion in the media, general public, and science community regarding what
polar vortices are and how they are related to various weather events. Here we clarify
what is meant by polar vortices in the atmospheric science literature. It is important to
recognize the existence of two separate planetary-scale circumpolar vortices: one in
the stratosphere and the other troposphere. These vortices have different structure,
seasonality, dynamics, and impacts on extreme weather. The tropospheric vortex is
much larger than its stratospheric counterpart and exists year-round, whereas the stratospheric polar vortex forms in fall but disappears in the spring of each year. Both vortices can, in some circumstances, play a role in extreme weather events at the surface, such as cold air outbreaks, but these events are not the consequence of either
the existence or gross properties of these two vortices.
Quote:
The stratospheric polar vortex appears each winter as a consequence of the large-scale
temperature gradients between mid-latitudes and the pole. It forms in fall when there is no solar heating in polar regions, strengthens during winter, and then breaks down as sunlight returns to the polar regions in spring, and the high latitude winds become weak easterlies (Waugh and Polvani 2010, and references therein). If the solar heating exactly
balanced infrared cooling (so-called radiative equilibrium) then the stratospheric polar
vortex would be stronger, and the pole colder, than they are.
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